| For more information about this article or gallery, please call the gallery phone number listed in the last line of the article, "For more info..." |
December Issue 2005
Portfolio Art Gallery in Columbia, SC, Wins Top Award - SC's Only for 2005
Portfolio Art Gallery of Columbia, SC, was named one of the year's Top 100 Retailers of American Craft at an awards ceremony held during the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.
The award is the most prestigious given to craft galleries across the US. More than 18,000 professional craft artists throughout the US and Canada nominated over 700 galleries, retail stores and museum shops. Criteria for selection includes treating artists with courtesy and respect, paying on time, promoting and marketing American crafts, giving back time and energy to the craft community, mentoring emerging artists and maintaining an inventory that is at least 85% American craft.
Portfolio Art Gallery, founded and owned by
Judith Roberts, was the only gallery in South Carolina to receive
this honor in 2005. Previously, other Top 100 winners in SC include
the Raymond Clark Gallery in Charleston, SC (2003); With These
Hands Gallery on Edisto Island, SC (2003); and The Arts Company
in Seneca, SC (2002 & 2001).
"I am honored to recognize this year's winners," noted
Wendy Rosen, publisher of NICHE magazine. "Their commitment
to American craft ensures the strength and growth of the arts
and small business in communities throughout the country."
In addition to NICHE magazine, The Rosen Group publishes
AmericanStyle, the exclusive lifestyle magazine for arts
enthusiasts and collectors, and produces the biannual Philadelphia
Buyers Market of American Craft, the world's largest wholesale
American craft event.
Roberts, originally from Ohio, remembers her
first experience with the arts as poring over museum postcards
sent to her by her father during WWII from Rome and Florence,
Italy. At age 10, she began collecting art by raiding the trash
bins outside the art department at Ohio Wesleyan College.
After moving to Columbia, Roberts, while raising two children,
earned a Fine Arts degree in Education from the University of
South Carolina. She opened Portfolio Art Gallery in Columbia's
Five Points area in 1980. The gallery offers a wide range of unique
items and fine art by local artists and artists from around the
world.
"Portfolio was nominated in 2004 and we felt so honored," said Roberts. "Sitting in the back row at the announcement ceremony in Philadelphia last year I made up my mind that we would never be selected for the 'TOP 100'. The winners were from big cities, tourist destinations and represented many artists." About the 2005 awards, Roberts adds, "Again we were nominated but I was unable to attend. My sweetheart of 20 years was very ill. He always throught that Portfolio Art Gallery was the best gallery in SC but it was not until a week after his death that we received the box with the lucite award."
"Portfolio is always new yet we represent artists who have been with us for many years. It never ceases to amaze me how they evolve and create exciting new pieces of work...the best is yet to come!"
For further information check our SC Commercial
Gallery listings, call the gallery at 803/256-2434 or at (www.portfolioartgal.com).
Carolina Arts is published monthly by Shoestring Publishing
Company, a subsidiary of PSMG, Inc.
Copyright© 2005 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston
Arts from July 1987 - Dec. 1994 and South Carolina Arts
from Jan. 1995 - Dec. 1996. It also publishes Carolina Arts
Online, Copyright© 2005 by PSMG, Inc. All rights reserved
by PSMG, Inc. or by the authors of articles. Reproduction or use
without written permission is strictly prohibited. Carolina
Arts is available throughout North & South Carolina.